The Bongo–Bagirmi or Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi (SBB) languages are the major branch of the Central Sudanic language family with about forty languages. Principal groups include Bagirmi languages such as Naba and the Sara languages. They are spoken across CAR, Chad, South Sudan, Sudan and adjacent countries.
Languages The Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi languages are for the most part poorly studied, and there is little agreement as to their internal classification. The table below is taken from Lionel Bender, as summarized in Blench (2000).
Bongo–Baka Kara (= Tar Gula?) Sinyar (Shemya)? Bagirmi Sara Doba (Bedjond, Gor, Mango) Kaba Vale Birri (likely to be closer to Kresh) Fongoro (Formona)? Yulu (Yulu–Binga)
Sinyar and Fongoro may not be Bongo–Bagirmi or even Central Sudanic languages.
Classification Boyeldieu (2006)Boyeldieu, Pascal. 2006. Présentation des langues Sara-Bongo-Baguirmiennes . Paris: CNRS-LLACAN (online version). classifies the Sara-Bongo–Bagirmi languages as follows.
Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi Bongo Modo, 'Beli, Baka Western Yulu Core Western Fer, Gula Koto Gula Zura, 'Bu'bu, Gula Mere, Gula Sara Nduga, Luto? Sara Peripheral: Ndoka, Wad, Bagiro, Na, Tiye, Kulfa, Simé, 'Dem Central: Sar, Mbay, Ngambay, 'Bedjond, Kaba P. Others: Bulala, Beraku, Kenga, 'Barma
Boyeldieu (2006) considers the homelands (Urheimats) of the language groups to be as follows. Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi: Bahr el Ghazal / southwestern South Sudan, by the border with easternmost Central African Republic Proto-Western Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi: north-central extreme of the Central African Republic Proto-Sara: south-central Chad, along the border with northwestern Central African Republic
The Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi languages in the east are closer to other Central Sudanic languages, while the Sara languages in the west have diverged more from the typical Central Sudanic typological profile due to contact with Ubangian and other languages.
Reconstruction
Plants Proto-Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi plant names:
Species Proto-Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi Stylochiton sp. *bada Ficus ingens *ɓAlɛ; *ɓARlɛ Dichrostachys cinerea *baɭi; *bEɭE Loudetia annua *bamu; *bVmV Daniellia oliveri *ɓAtɛ; *ɓita; *ɓuta; *ɓito; *ɓVtV Amaranthus cruentus *budu Andropogon gayanus *butu Nymphaea sp. *ɓVlV Manihot glaziovii *bVngV Cissus populnea *Caɭa Lagenaria siceraria *Ciɓa; *Cuɓa Cissus integrifolia *Cuƒu; *COƒO; *Nuƒu; *NOƒO Terminalia sp. *CV; *ɭV Sida rhombifolia *ɗAɗɛ Acacia albida *didi; *diɗi Combretum glutinosum *diro; *dVrV Leptadenia hastata *ɗisa; *ɗusa Aeschynomene nilotica *dulɛ Strychnos sp. *duɲu; *diɲi; *duyu; *diyi Sterculia setigera *ɖaka Loudetia simplex *ɖakɔ Hyparrhenia bagirmica *gama Hibiscus sp. *gbakɔ Grewia venusta *Gimbo; *GVmbV Urena lobata *gumbu Isoberlinia doka *kabɔ; *kaba Cordia africana *kAjɛ Hymenocardia acida *kArɛ Calotropis procera *kaRpɔ; *kARpɛ Ficus glumosa *kɔlɔ; *kilɔ Afzelia africana *kila; *Gila Gardenia sp. (?) *Kiri; *Giri Ximenia americana *kiti; *kVtV; *titi; *tVtV Ficus platyphylla *KOɓO; *KVɓV Ceiba pentandra *kuɭa Parinari curatellifolia *kuma Jatropha sp. *kuma Diospyros mespiliformis *kuRmɛ; *kARmɛ; *kuRma Ficus sycomorus *kutɛ; *kVtV Detarium microcarpum *kuʈu; *nguʈu; *guʈu Lophira lanceolata *kVyV Combretum collinum *ɭEmbE; *ɭumbɛ Tephrosia bracteolata *ɭVɲV Gardenia erubescens *maca; *masa; *maKa Parkia africana *matɔ; *mbaRtɔ Annona senegalensis *mbArɛ; *mburɛ; *mbARwɛ; *mbuRwɛ Grewia sp. (?) *mɔkɔ Nymphaea sp. *mEɗE Amblygonocarpus andongensis *miɭi; *miɭo; *mOɭO; *miri; *miro; *mOrO Vitex sp. *mOyI; *mVyV; *mOɲI; *mVɲV Pseudocedrela kotschyi *muru Mitragyna inermis *nɖAɲɛ; *nɖVɲV Imperata cylindrica *nɖoku; *nɖeki Ziziphus sp. *ngAɖɛ; *ngAɗɛ Acacia sp. *ngara; *ngaɭa Balanites aegyptiaca *ngura Hexalobus monopetalus *NVCV Acacia sieberiana *paɭa Raphionacme sp. *pOyO; *pVyV Celtis integrifolia *Sala; *SVlV Rottboellia exaltata *Saya Anogeissus leiocarpus *Siɖɔ; *Siɖa Kigelia aethiopium *Soku Cissus quadrangularis *taɗa Cucurbitaceae sp. *taya Pennisetum pedicellatum *tEmbE Striga sp. *tiɭo; *tuɭɛ; *kiɭo; *kuɭɛ Jardinea sp. *tuwa Tapinanthus sp. *tVmV Burkea africana *wVɭV Anogeissus leiocarpus - Ficus thonningii - Piliostigma thonningii - Pseudocedrela kotschyi - Securinega virosa - Crateva adansonii - Asparagus sp. - Dactyloctenium aegyptium - Sclerocarya birrea - Ficus polita - Ficus sp. - Balanites aegyptiaca - Sesbania pachycarpa - Cochlospermum tinctorium - Xanthosoma mafaffa - Luffa sp. -
Fish Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi fish names:
Species Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi Ctenopoma spp. *ɓakɔ; *ɓaku; *ɓVkV Distichodus sp. *bata Alestes macrolepidotus *boru; *beri; *ɓoru; *ɓeri Siluridae sp. (?) *buli; *bOlI; *bolu Siluridae sp. *bVngV Mormyridae spp. *CAɓɛ; *CAbɛ Distichodus spp. *Ceri Alestes spp. *dalu Citharinus spp. *dOrO Bagrus bajad bajad *duɓa Synodontis spp., Auchenoglanis spp. et alii *gaRga Heterobranchus bidorsalis, Clarias spp. *gɔrɔ Bagridae sp. *GElE Labeo spp., Barbus spp. *guɗu; *gOɗO; *Suɗu; *SOɗO; *Sudu; *SOdO; *ɓudu; *ɓOdO Characidae sp., Citharinidae sp. (?) *janga; *Canga Tetraodon fahaka strigosus *k+ɖ + kiɭo Lates niloticus *kaRɓɔ Malapterurus electricus *Kiɓi; *tiɓi; *Kibi Protopterus annectens *Kuri; *Kuru; *KuRyi; *KuRyu Mormyridae sp. *mARlɛ Ophicephalus obscurus *mOgO; *migo Clarias spp., Heterobranchus bidorsalis *nduli; *ndolu; *ndVlV Heterotis niloticus *ngɔɭɔ Tilapia spp. *ngura Alestes nurse *ŋmaŋma; *ŋmɔŋmɔ; *ŋmaɲa; *ŋmɔɲɔ Mormyridae spp. *pAtɛ Tilapia spp., Hemichromis spp. *pORpO; *paRpa; *SORpO; *SaRpa Citharinus citharus *puru Polypterus spp. *SAɭɛ; *ngAɭɛ Schilbe spp., Eutropius niloticus niloticus *SErE; *SArɛ; *CErE; *CArɛ Siluridae spp. *Sili; *SVlV; *sili; *sVlV Hepsetus odoe, Hydrocyon spp. *Siya; *Suya Characidae sp., Citharinidae sp. (?) *sOɭO; *siɭo; *sVɭV; *SOɭO; *Siɭo; *SVɭV; *ɓOɭO; *ɓiɭo; *ɓVɭV Polypterus spp. *Suɭa; *Siɭa Gymnarchus niloticus *tumu; *temi; *ɲumu; *ɲemi Heterobranchus spp. - Lates niloticus - Bagridae spp., Clariidae spp. - Citharinus spp. - Malapterurus electricus -
See also List of Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi reconstructions (Wiktionary)
Further reading Materials on Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi are often in French.
ADAMI P., 1981, (with Dj. DJARANGAR, J. FÉDRY, Ng. NASSITY et P. PALAYER), Lexique bediondo-français, Sarh, Centre d'Études Linguistiques-Collège Charles-Lwanga. ANDERSEN T., 1981, A Grammar of Modo, A Preliminary Sketch, University of Aalborg (Denmark). BLACHE J., 1964, Les poissons du bassin du Tchad et du bassin adjacent du Mayo Kebbi, Paris, ORSTOM. BOYELDIEU P., 1987, Les langues fer ('kara') et yulu du nord centrafricain, Esquisses descriptives et lexiques, Paris, Geuthner. BOYELDIEU P., 2000, La langue bagiro (République centrafricaine), Systématique, textes et lexique, Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang (Schriften zur Afrikanistik/Research in African Studies, 4). CAPRILE J.P., s.d. [1969?], Lexique mbaï-français, Lyon, Afrique et Langage (Document 2). CAPRILE J.P., 1972, Études et documents sara-bongo-baguirmiens, Paris, Université René Descartes (Paris V), 2 vol. DANAY K., MAKODE M. et al., 1986, Dictionnaire sara-kaba-na - français, Kyabe (Tchad), Sarh, Centre d'Études Linguistiques-Collège Charles-Lwanga. DJEMADJIOUDJIEL N.L.Mb. et J. FÉDRY, 1979, Lexique ngàmbáy-français, français-ngàmbáy, Sarh, Centre d'Études Linguistiques-Collège Charles-Lwanga. GADEN H., 1909, Essai de grammaire de la langue baguirmienne, suivi de textes et de vocabulaires baguirmien-français et français-baguirmien, Paris, E. Leroux. KANZI-SOUSSOU C., 1985, Essai de phonologie de la langue kara de Birao, Université de Bangui (Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines). KANZI-SOUSSOU C., 1992, Le verbe en fer (kara), Étude morphologique et syntaxique du verbe dans une langue centrafricaine, Université de Paris X-Nanterre (Département de Linguistique). KEEGAN J., 1996 (2ème éd.), (with M. NANGBAYE et B. MANADJI TOLKOM), Dictionary of Mbay, Munich-Newcastle, Lincom Europa. [1ère éd. 1993, chez l'auteur] KILPATRICK E., 1985, Bongo Phonology, Occasional Papers in the Study of Sudanese Languages, 4, 1-62. MALBRANT R., 1952 (2ème éd.), Faune du Centre Africain français (Mammifères et Oiseaux), Paris, Lechevalier (Encyclopédie Biologique XV). NDOKO B.R., 1991, Esquisse phonologique du lútò, Université de Bangui (Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines). NOUGAYROL P., 1999, Les parlers gula (Centrafrique, Soudan, Tchad), Grammaire et lexique, Paris, CNRS Éditions. PALAYER P., 1970, (with M. FOURNIER et E. MOUNDO), Éléments de grammaire sar (Tchad), Lyon-Fort-Archambault, Afrique et Langage-Collège Charles Lwanga (Études linguistiques 2). PALAYER P., 1989, La langue sar (sud du Tchad), Tours, Université de Tours, 2 vol. PALAYER P., 1992, Dictionnaire Sar-Français (Tchad), Paris, Geuthner. PALAYER P., 2004, (with A. GOUDJA KODNGARGUE et Ch. VANDAME), Dictionnaire kenga, Louvain-Paris, Peeters (A&L 6). PALAYER P., 2006, (with M. SOLEKAYE), Dictionnaire démé (Tchad). Précédé de notes grammaticales, Louvain-Paris, Peeters (A&L 10). PARKER K., 1985, Baka Phonology, Occasional Papers in the Study of Sudanese Languages, 4, 63-85. PERSSON A.M. et J.R. PERSSON, 1991, Modo-English Dictionary with Grammar, Nairobi, SIL. SAMPSON D.L., 1997, Update on Baka Phonology and Orthography, as of 1996, Occasional Papers in the Study of Sudanese Languages, 7, 114-120. SANTANDREA St., 1963, A Concise Grammar Outline of the Bongo language, Rome, Sodality of St. Peter Claver. SAXON Douglas E., 1980, The History of the Shari River Basin ca. 500 B.C.-1000 A.D., Los Angeles, University of California. SCHWEINFURTH G., 1873, Linguistische Ergebnisse einer Reise nach Centralafrika, Supplément à Zeitschrift für Ethnologie (1872), Berlin, Wiegandt et Hempel. SCHWEINFURTH G., 1875, Au coeur de l'Afrique, 1868-1871, Voyages et découvertes dans les régions inexplorées de l'Afrique centrale, Paris, Hachette, tome 1. STEVENSON R.C., 1969, Bagirmi Grammar, University of Khartoum (Linguistic Monograph Series 3). VANDAME Ch., 1968, Grammaire kenga, Lyon, Afrique et Langage (Études linguistiques 2).
Unpublished manuscripts BOYELDIEU P., Lexique 'barma (baguirmien). BOYELDIEU P., Lexique kaba de Paoua. BOYELDIEU P., Lexique yulu. FÉDRY J., Questionnaire d'Inventaire Linguistique : kulfa. FÉDRY J., Questionnaire d'Inventaire Linguistique : 'dem. FÉDRY J., Questionnaire d'Inventaire Linguistique : tiye. NOUGAYROL P., Lexique bongo. NOUGAYROL P., Lexique ndoka. NOUGAYROL P., Lexique nduga. NOUGAYROL P., Note sur le wada.
References
Boyeldieu, Pascal. 2006. Présentation des langues Sara-Bongo-Baguirmiennes . Paris: CNRS-LLACAN (online version). (PDF) Blench (2000)
External links Sara-Bagirmi Language Project, more detailed description of Sara-Bagirmi Languages (old version) List of Proto-Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi reconstructions Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi Swadesh list (Boyeldieu)